Patients are selected for therapy based on an FDA-approved test for Herceptin.
Herceptin is only given as an intravenous (IV) infusion.* There are 3 ways Herceptin can be used:
Your doctor will recommend the appropriate treatment option for you.
*There is also a formulation with trastuzumab available that can be given under the skin instead of intravenously.
Available dosing options are:
With chemotherapy: When you are taking Herceptin together with chemotherapy, you will receive Herceptin once a week
After chemotherapy: When you are taking Herceptin after surgery and completion of chemotherapy, you may receive Herceptin either every 3 weeks OR once a week
Your doctor will determine whether weekly treatment or treatment every 3 weeks with Herceptin is right for you.
Your infusions will take 30 to 90 minutes, explained in the chart below.
Your healthcare team will monitor your heart so that potential side effects from Herceptin can be seen early and properly treated. Your doctor will check for signs of heart problems before, during, and after treatment with Herceptin.
Heart monitoring means you will get a medical test every few months with a scan that shows if your heart function has changed since starting Herceptin. Your heart function will be tested with an echo† or MUGA‡ scan.
Talk to your doctor about which signs and symptoms you may see while taking Herceptin.
†An echo scan is an ultrasound image of the heart; also called an “echocardiogram.”
‡MUGA scan is a commonly used test that takes a moving picture of your heart pumping blood. It requires an injection of a nontoxic radioactive substance.
During treatment
Your heart will be tested every 3 months for 1 year.
After treatment
Your heart will be tested every 6 months for at least 2 years.
§Charts describe what is recommended. You and your healthcare team will decide on the heart-monitoring schedule that works for you.
Get more information about the side effects of Herceptin that could be signs of heart problems.
Discover how Herceptin targets specific proteins on cells to fight cancer.
If you receive Herceptin in combination with another HER2-targeted treatment + chemotherapy, here’s some information to keep in mind.
If you receive Herceptin HYLECTA™ (trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-oysk), an injection given under the skin (subcutaneous) instead of IV (intravenous), here’s some information to keep in mind.
Would you like help paying for Herceptin?
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